Shell-fuse.



ri wenn mi. rmi il? ll @un Films/lin SHELLQFUE.

, Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented ug. 15, 1905.

Application led Nuvemlier 4, 1904. Serial No. 231,463.

Be it known that l, Joux L, S'rieiir, a lieuenant in the United Stntes Navy, residing rt lrlairtiord, in the count)Y of Hartford and i State or lConnecticut, have invented certain l new and useful improvements inShell-Fuses, ,11.i.i,.i,.-i,.1.ii piflyufe 1 and i o ntie ,y i et aie t )i o o.. inU to or li lull, clear, and exact description oi the invention, such ns will enable others skilled in the art i to which it nppertains to marie und use the seine.

My invent-ion relates to improvements in percussion-fuses, and it isintended to provide a fuse which. shall be simple in construction, suie against accidents, and ellicieiit in operation.

The fuse, as hereinater described, is oi cli; oi Vfuses in which the firing-plunger s iioriiisllgY seearnted 'from the ciipkoy n hield and guard, which are both held in luce in iront of the liiii :fg-pin until the shell is spun up to n. high rotary velocity faused by the rilling oi the gun, und the shield and guard being released by the shock` ol: liring the gun :ire caused to swing out and clear the iiring-pin under the action of centrifugal iorce.

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My invention. relates especiallyr to that -class oi fuses rclerred to vin my pending applicatioinlerial No. 214,403, tiled June 27, i904, entitled improvements iii shell-fuses.

Reference is had to the ueconipanying drawings, in which the saine parts are indicated by the seme letters throughout the severiil views.

Figure l shows a section through a part oi" the base oii the shell and through the axis of the Vluso-stock, the igiiiting-cliarge iii the inse-stock being omitted. Fig. 2 represents a sctioiilacross the housing for the plunger along the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, the parts being .shown twice the scale ol' Fig. l. Fig'. 3 is a similar View to that shown in Fig. 2 and on the same scale except that the fuse is armed, and the section is taken along` tlieliiie 3 3 of Fig. l and parts iii front are shown iii dotted lines. Figxi shows a iiiodilicution in which the shield is thrown out laterallyr under the action ol'A centrifugal force, it being normally held in the salt-.ty position` by two sets ol springs; and Fig. 5 shows another -modifica`- tion in which the guard and the shield both lock by e pin on the ilunger until released by the shock ol the nig gun.

A represents s portion el the base of the shell into which the lose-steelt B is screwed l in the usual way. This fuse-stock is provided with u shoulder b in the interior thereof, with interior screw-threads li extending through a considerable portion thereof, with a powder-chamber b2 for the ignition charge, sind with-an annular recess b3 engaging the cap (not shown) for the igiiition-cliaiiiber. i, lt may also be provided with a lug lf* to engage the spring M, which will be hereinafter described.

The spring M may be held to plunger byy a pin Vthrough the plunger holding it, or the s ring may screw into screw-thread eut in plungerl or may be secured thereto in any convenient way. 1

C represents the housing, which is screwtliieaided through a large portion oi' its length, engaging the screw-threads this to secure liinier bearing, and the end 0i this-liousing abuts against the shoulder b when it is screwed lioine in the fuse-stock. This lions'- ing is chaiiibered to receive the firing-pluriger l), and iii 'front of this chamber it is closed, as zit C', and adapted to receive the percussion-cap or primer F, located in rear of the opening C0 in said housing C. The plunger l) carri .i the firing-pin D', which may be secured to or made .integral therewith; but 'for convenience of manufacture the firing-pin is preferably screwed iiitotlio plunger, is shown iii Fig. l. Said plunger also carries alocking-pin D?, which projects from the front oi' said plunger somewhat farther than the point ol' the tiring-pin, so that it may engage the swinging shield and lock the same in place, as will hereinafter be described. The housing C is slotted at one side, as at C, (see Fig. 1,) `to receive a centrifugal guard which is normally ield in the closed position by means of a suitable spring or springs, but which is thrown out in the open position by the action ol centrifugal force when the shell .is spun up. By adjusting the compression of the spring the fuse maybe so arranged that the shield will not be moved outward until the shell has attained a very high rotary velocitysay, for instance, three thousand revolutions per minute. Such a guard is shown at E in Figs. ll, 2, and 3, E/ in Fig. 4, and Egan Fig. 5.

ln Figs. 2 and 3 the guard'E is held iii place by springs L en d L on a single bolt K, which bolt carries a nut ln Fig. l there are two such bolts K and K with eorrespending springs. ln Fig. 5 the centrifugal l guard l may be secured with either one or two bolts and corres these types the guard is rovided with shoulders e e, the former of w ich, e, abuts against the front face of the plunger D when the guard is in the closed position and acts as a positive stop to hold the firing-pin clear of the cap F. The shoulder e bears against the bottom piece C of the housing C and serves as a spacer for the guard to permit the swinging shield H to swing freely in front of said guard.

1 The shield H is pivoted on the pin h and is provided with a hole h to engage the lockingpin D2 with a recess h2 to engave the point of the firing-pin Vand with a tip gIl, which. projects in front of thepin G, secured in the housing when the movable guard is in the closed position. The` plunger C. may be locked in place with a small brass wire or pin N, holdin same into housing C, which wire is Shearer? when the gun is fired. In case this wire should become accidentally sheared, as from dropping the shell from a considerable height, I also provide a spring M, preferabl attached to the plunger D, which norma ly presses the plunger forward, but which spring will yield to the inertia of theplunger after the pin N has been sheared by the shock of the discharge of the gun.

For convenience in centering this s ring M a stud b4 is preferably provided in tv e fusestock; but both the stud and the spring may be done away with and both the spring and the shear-pin may be done away with without rendering the fuse liable to premature explosion.

The devices shown in Figs. 1, 2,' 3, and in Fig. 4 differ materially only in the single featurethat two bolts or ins K and K', with corresponding springs Il) and L, are used in the device snown in Fig. 4, which would to move out radially these springs, while in the device shown in Fig. 2 the guards will swing out as about a hinge.

The operation of the device will be precisely the same with the structures shown in Figs. 1 to 4. Thus when the gun is fired the first action would be to shear the pin N, causing the plunger to move back against the spring M, withdrawing the locking-pin-D2 from the swinging shield H. Durin the brief instant that this is being done the shell is being spun up in the un, and centrifugal force throws the guard Eg or E outward, ermittin the tin h3 of the swingin shiel to clear t e pin and causing the sliield to be thrown outward to the position shown in This will remove all obstructions between the firing-pin and the percussioncap F, and when the shell is sudden] arrested from any cause, as from striking t ie target, the plunger will fl-y forward and explode the` cap.

cause the guard E against the action of the shield H2 is curved and has its free end hf projecting beneath the guard E?, and both shield and` guard are locked in position by the lockingin D2, which projects into a recess c:z in the liousing C, as shown in Fig. 1. When the gun is fired,V the locking-pin D will be withdrawn by the inertia of t'1e lu'nger, as before described, and the shiel and guard will be thrown outward by fthe spinning of the shell.

Thus it will be seen that in all the modiioations shown the guardand shield constitute a double protection for the c'ap F, which cannot be fired unless both are swung outward, and this can only happen when the shell is spun up rapidly. In addition to these two obstructions to the forward path of the plunger I add the furtherprotection ofthe locking-pin D2, operatin as described, and this lockingin may be held in engagement either by a s ear-pin N or spring M, or both, buteven should both spring and shear-pin be omitted it will be seen that the guard and the shield wouldstill protect the cap from the ring-pin.

As a still further protection the centrifugal guard may be held normally in place by weak springs,l such as are shown in. my application, Serial N o. 214,403 aforesaid. These will not be necessary to the efficient and safe action of the fuse.

It will be seen that in case the primer-cap becomes unseated and free by shock of discharge, the shield being interposed between the primer-ca and the firing-point, prevents an indented blow suiiicient to fire the primer.

The parts of the fuse are made extra heavy to withstand distortion and dis lacement of parts on shock of discharge or dJuring severe dropping tests. The screw-thread is intentionally carried over most of the housing to prevent distortion of parts giving rigidity to construction.

The parts ofthe fuse can be inspected,

aged, and assembled before being screwed into the fuse-body and will greatly facilitate inspection methods. v

The shearing-wire is employed to take the weight of the plunger ofl the inainspring in case the shell is stood base end on,'v' and the weight of the plunger rests on the spring, tending to make it set. This shearing-wire is intentionally made weak and will break during severe dropping tests.

lt will he obvious thatvarious modifications might be made in the herein-described apparatus which could be used without departing from the spirit of my invention.

and to assist in remco' Having thus described my invention, what i claim, and desire to secure by Letters Pate ent ofY the United States, is-

l. in a percussion-fuse7 the combination with a fuse-stock, of a housing mounted in said stoch and carrying the primer-cap, a plunger provided with a firing-pin and with a locking-pin, the plunger being mounted in said housing, a centrifugal guard connected to said housing and adapted to be thrown outward bj; centrifugal force, and a swinging shield pivotedto said guard and normallj,v engagingsaid locking-pin, substantially as described.

2. In a percussion-fuse, the combination with a fuse-stock, of a housing mounted in said stock and carrying the primereoap, a plunger provided with a iiring-pin and with e locking-pin, the plunger being mounted in said housing, a centrifugal guard `connected to said housing and adapted to be thrown outward b v centrifugal force, and a swinging shield pivoted to said guard and normallyr ongaging saidlocking-pin, with a spring tend` ing Vto press said plunger forward insaid housing, substai'itialljv as described.

3. ina pcrcussion-fuse, the combination with a fuse-stock, of a housing mounted in said. stool; and carrying the primer-cap, a plunger provided with afiring-pin and with a locliingfpin, thc plunger beingnmuntcd in said. housing, a centrifugal guard connected to said housingand adapted to be thrown outward by centrifugal force, and a swinging shield pivoted to said guard. and normally engaging said locking-pin, with a shear-pin normally holding sain plunger fast in said'housing, substantially as described.

4. lr.- a percussion-fuse, the combination with fuse-stock, of a housing mounted in said stock and carrying A ther primer-cap, a plunger provided with a tiring-pin and with a locking-pin, the plunger being .mounted in said housi ig, a centrifugal guard connected to said housing and adapted to be thrown outward by centrifugal force, anda swinging shield pivoted to said guard and normally engaging said locking-pin, with a shear-pin normally holding said plunger fast in said housing, and a spring tending to press said plunger forwardin said housing, substi'mtially as described.

5. In a 'percussion-fuse, the combination with a fuse-stock, of a housing mounted in said stock and carrying the primer-cap, a plunger provided with a flrisng-pin and with. a'loc 'ingfpiin thepl'unger being mounted in said housing and both pins projecting:there` 6. in a percussion-fuse, the combination with a fusestock, of a housing mounted in said stock and carrying the primer-cap, a plunger provided with a firing-pin :md with a locking-pin, the plunger being mounted in said housing and both pins projecting therethrough, a centrifugal guard connected to said housing and adapted to'be thrown outward b5' centrifugal force, and a swinging shield pivoted to said guard and engaging said locking-pin and interposed between said guard and housing and said cap, with a springtending to press said plunger forward in said housing, substantially as described.

7. in a percussion-fuse, the. combination with a fuse-stock, of a housing mounted in said stock and carrying the primer-cap, a plunger provided with a firing-pin and with a locking-pin, the plunger being mounted in said housing and both pins projecting therethrough, a .centrifugal guard connected to said housing und adapted to be thrown out-` ward by centrifugal force, and a swinging shield pivoted to said guard and engaging said locking-pin and interposed between said guard and housing and said cap, with a spring tending to press said plunger forward in said housing and a shear-pin nonna-ily holding said plunger fast in said housing, substantially as described. /f

8. ln a percussion-fuse, the combination with a fuse-stock, of a housing mounted in said stock and carrying the primer-capfa plunger provided with a firing-pin and with a locring-pin, the plunger being mounted in said housing and bot? pins projecting therethrough, a centrifugal guard connected to said housing and adapted to be thrown outward by centrifugal force, and a swinging shield pivoted to said guard and engaging said locking-pin and interposed bctwerm said guard and housing and said cap, with a shcar-pin normally holding said plunger fast in said housing, and a spring tending to press said plunger' iorward in said housing, substantially as described.

9. ln a percussiondose, the combination with a fuse-stock, of a .housing mounted inv a looting-pin, the plunger boing mounted in said housing, a spring-compressed centrifugal guard connected to said housing and adapted engaging said locking-pin, sub' to be thrown outward by centrifugal force against said spring action, and a swinging shield pivoted to said guard and normally. engaging said locking-pin, with a sprin tending -t`o press said plunger forward in sain housing, substantially as described.

11. In a percussion-fuse, the combination with a fuse-stock, of a housing mounted in said stock and carrying the primer-cap, a plunger provided with aiiring-pin and with a locking-pin, the plunger beingniounted in said housing, a spring-compressed centrifugal guard connected to said housing and adapted to be thrown outward by centrifugal force against said spring action, and a swinging shield pivoted to said guard and normally engaging said locking-pin, with a shear-pin normally holding said plunger fast in said housing, substantially as described.

12. In a percussion-fuse, the combination with a fuse-stock, of a housing mounted in said stock and carrying the primer-cap, a lunger provided with a liring-pin and with a ocking-pin, the plunger being mounted in said housing, as )ring-compressed centrifugal guard connecte to said housing and adapted to bethrown outward by centrifugal torcev against said spring action, and a swinging shield pivoted to .said guard and normally engaging said locking-pin, with a'shear-pin normally holding said plunger fast in said housing, and a spring tending to press said plunger forward in said housing, substantially as described.

13. In a percussion-fuse, the combination with a fuse-stock, of a housing mounted in said stock and carrying the primer-cap, a

*plunger provided with a firing-pin and with a ocking-pin, the )lunger being mounted in said housing and oth pins projecting therethrough, a spring-compressed centrifugal guard connected to said housing and adapted to be thrown outward by centrifugal force against said spring action, and a swinging shield-pivoted to said guard and engaging `said locking-pin and interposed between said guard and housing and said cap,substan tially as described. v f Y y 14. In a percussion-fuse, the combination with a fusie-stock, of a housing mounted in said stocli and carrying the primer-cap, a plunger provided with a firing-pin and with a locking-pin, the plunger being mounted in said housing and both pinspioieeting therethrough, a spring-coinpresse centrifugal guard connected to said housing and ada )ted to be thrown outward by centrifugal orce against said spring action, and alswinging shield pivotcd to said' guard and engagin said locking- )in and interposed between sai guard and housing and said cap, with a" spring tending to press said lplunger forward iii said housing, substantia as described.

15. In a percussion-fuse, t e combination with a fuse-stock, of a housingmounted in.

remise said stock and carrying the primer-cap,.a plunger provided with a firing-pin and with a locking-pin, the plunger being mounted in said housing and both pins pro'ectng therethrough, va spring-compresse centrifugal guard connected to said housing and adapted to be thrown outward by centrifugal force against said spring action, and a swinging shield pivoted to said guai-Gland engagin said locking-pin and interposed between sai guard and housing and said cap, with a spring tending to press said plunger forward in sai housing and a shear-pin normally holding said plunger fast in said housing, substantially as described.

16. ln a percussion-fuse, the combination with a fuse-stock, oi a housing mounted in said stock and carfying the primer-cap, a plunger provided with a tiring-pin and with a loe iiig-pin,the plunger being mounted in said housing and both pins proJecting therethrough, a spring compressed centrifugal guard connected to said housing and ada ted to be thrown outward by centrifugaltorce against said spring action, and a swinging shield pivoted to said guardl and engaging said locking-pin and interposed between said guard and housiiiu and said cap, with a shearpin normally holding said piunger fast in said housing, and a spring tending to press saidn i plunger forward in vsaid housing, substantially as described. l

17. In a peroussion-iise,V the combination with a fuse-stock, of a housing mounted in said stock and carryin the primer-cap, a plunger mounted in said housing and provided with a liring-pin and a locliingin, and a centrifugal guard connected to said ousing and engaging said locking-pin, substantially as described. I' 18. ln a percussion-fuse, the combination with a fuse-stock, of a housing mounted in said stock and carrying the primer-cap, a plunger mounted in said housing and provided with a firing-pin and a locking-pin, and a spriiig-compresscd centrifugal guard connected to said housinir and engaging said i locking-pin, substantially as described. 1E). ln a percussion-fuse, the combination .with a Fuse-stock, a housing mounted in said stoel( and carrying the primer-cap, a hiny ger provided with a firing-pin and a loc tingl pin mounted in said housing, accntriiugal adapted to swing out when the sheli is spinger forward, substantially as describe .20. lfn a percussion-fuse, the combination with a fuse-stock, a housing mounted in said stock and carrying the pgiiner-cap, a springcompressed plunger provided with a firingpin and a locking-pin mounted in said housing, a centrifugal guard engaging said locking-pin and being adapted to'swing out when the shell is spinning, and-a spring tending to guard engaging said locking-pin and beingV ning, and a spring tending tovpress saidplunf 

